Royal Alberta Museum

boring displays, and half the place was under construction when we paid full price to get in. the kids even cried because they were so disappointed! the only exhibit we could enter was on pioneer life, and it was all still-life displays, no interactive or educational stuff for the kids. the snack shop was overpriced and had nothing to appease children.

I remember going to Drumheller museum and thinking that it was surely one of the best in the world. I have travelled extensively and have seen many museums and exhibits, and the Drumheller one rated - for me - among the top. Imagine my surprise when after many years of not setting a foot in the Provincial Museum I took a guest from Europe to see it. It was amazing! The nature exhibits are actual works of art. The little interractive displays add wonderfully to the atmosphere. The native exhibit is a gem among what is usually a subject beat to death and presented poorly. This one, is anything but! You really learn a lot, get a sense of what really traspired here, and marvel at the design team and their competence. On top of it, the travelling exhibits that often make it to the museum can often be equally great. I have now seen the wonders of Syria, Egypt and Rome, and the beauty of Hindu art. The crowning moment of that fateful visit was when my guest - after being overwhelmed -remarked at the end "Wow, why can't they do something like this at home?" Well, the point is that they can't. But they did here. If you visit Edmonton, or if you live here, don't pass the Provincial Museum. It's now world class, right up there with Drumheller.

I wouldn't go back again. Not really exciting, but you learn alot.